Gua Sembat, Cave with a Human Face

Apa yang anda bayangkan kalau mendengar Derawan? Pastinya tidak jauh dari pantai dan laut, dengan pasir putih dan air yang biru. Saya pun hanya membayangkan seputar laut sebelum tiba di Pulau Maratua, Kepulauan Derawan, Kalimantan Timur. Namun rupanya disini ada gua yang sangat menarik, dengan bentuk manusia dan dapat diselami pula.

What do you imagine when you hear Derawan Islands? Perhaps not far from the beach and the sea, white sands and blue water. I also imagined only about the sea before arriving in Maratua, Derawan Islands, East Borneo. But apparently there is a cave there which is very interesting, with the human form and you can dive as well!

Untuk mencapai Gua Sembat juga tidak perlu upaya keras, hanya perlu berkendara dengan motor sekitar 15 menit dari Desa Payung Payung di Maratua menuju Desa Bohe Silian. Opsi lain langsung merapat ke Desa Bohe Silian yang juga ada di Pulau Maratua.

To get to Sembat Cave from a few dock in Maratua is also quite easy. You just have to drive with motorcycle about 15 minutes from the Payung Payung Village in Maratua to Bohe Silian Village. Or, just docked directly to Bohe Silian in Maratua.

The narrow gap to get into the entrance

Rocky walls surround us here

Jalan masuk menuju Gua Sembat juga terlihat jelas, tinggal berjalan memasuki hutan selama sekitar 10 menit. Sebelum masuk ke area dimana Gua terlihat kita mesti melewati celah yang sempit, bahkan ukuran badan seperti saya pun harus miring miring untuk melewati celah tersebut. Namun setelah melewati celah anda akan melihat area yang dikelilingi dinding batu, dengan gua persis di depan anda.

Its also easy to find the entrance for the path to the Sembat Cave. You just gotta walk into the forest just about 10 minutes until you find a very narrow gap between two wall of stone. It's so narrow that I even have to walk sideways to pass through the gap. But after passing it, you'll realize you're surrounded by stone walls, with the cave right in front of you.

Its like a big human head attached to the cave walls

The rays make the color of the lake visible

Some dive in this place

Di pintu masuk Gua Sembat langsung terlihat batuan yang berbentuk seperti kepala manusia di bagian kanan atas, memberi efek yang menarik dengan adanya danau di bagian bawah gua. Air di danau ini sangat biru dan dapat diselami, namun tentunya dengan kategorisasi khusus. Saya pun tidak mencoba diving di Gua ini, maybe next time.

 
At the entrance you can see a rock in a form of human head in the upper right of the cave. It gave interesting effects when combined with the blue lake at the bottom. The water of the lake is clearly blue. Some also dive in this place but of course with specific categorization. I, myself, did not try diving inside the cave, well maybe next time.

Meski terlihat curam, namun ada tangga kayu yang dibuat penduduk lokal untuk menuju ke danau. Di saat matahari bersinar terang, sinar masuk dari celah celah di langit langit gua, membuat warna biru air semakin jelas. One more beautiful place you gotta visit while in Maratua Island.

Even though it looks steep, but there's a wooden staircase made by local residents to down to the lake. And, when the sun shine brightly, the rays coming from the slits in the cave ceiling, making the clear blue water so vivid. One more beautiful place you gotta visit while in Maratua Island.

@marischkaprue - one of her dream thing to do is cave diving

Photos taken by Samsung NX300

RELATED STORIES:

• Maratua Paradise, We Love Turquoise Sea Floor
• How To Survive Baracuda Point
• Feeling Spongebob at Kakaban Stingless Jellyfish Lake  
• Melihat Penyu Bertelur di Pulau Sangalaki
• Payung Payung Village 
• Diving in Maratua reef

 

Read Full Story...

Maratua Paradise, We Love Turquoise Sea Floor

There are too much heaven in Indonesia. Pantai, laut, pemandangan spektakuler yang selalu membuat saya berdecak kagum dan tidak rela melepas semua itu untuk kembali ke Jakarta. 

There are too much heaven in Indonesia. The beach, sea, spectacular scenery that always makes me chuckle in awe and not willing to let that go just to get back to Jakarta.

Pulau Maratua

Salah satu pecahan surga ada di Kalimantan Timur, tepatnya di Kepulauan Derawan, dimana pasir putih memanjang dengan air laut yang sangat bening. Kemudian manusia membangun tempat nyaman untuk menikmati surga ini. A Paradise.

One piece of  heaven does exists in East Borneo, a part of Derawan Islands, where white sands stretching, along with the super clear sea water. And then human built a comfortable place to enjoy this heaven. A Paradise.

Look at how clear the sea water is!

Built on top of the sea water

Saya menuju Pulau Maratua dengan perjalanan speed boat sekitar 3 jam dari Berau, Kalimantan Timur. Kami merapat di dermaga Maratua Paradise Resort, penginapan yang sebagian dibangun di atas air laut yang menutupi pasir putih pantai yang membentang luas, membentuk warna turquoise yang indah saat matahari bersinar terang.

It took 3 hours boat trip from Berau, a city in East Borneo to go to Maratua Island. We docked at the pier of Maratua Paradise Resort, a lodge which mostly built on top of the sea water that covers the white sand beach, stretching wide, forming a beautiful turquoise color when the sun is shining brightly.

A relaxing place for all

Bagian depan Maratua Paradise berhadapan langsung dengan laut tiga warna, turqoise, biru kehijauan dan biru pekat karena kedalaman laut yang langsung berubah di jarak sekitar 60 meter dari bagian depan penginapan. Semua bagian penginapan ini dibangun dengan kayu, berpadu dengan laut.

The front part of Maratua Paradise is right in front of the three colors sea water, turquoise, greenish blue and dark blue as the ocean depths directly changed at a distance of about 60 meters from the front of the resort. All parts of this place was built with wood, forming a beautiful combination with the sea.

Nature's pool

Di depan terdapat semacam teras untuk bersantai menikmati laut, dan yang saya suka adalah di tengah antara teras dan restoran terdapat semacam kolam kecil yang menyambung ke laut, dimana banyak ikan berseliweran yang dapat kita lihat dari tempat duduk.

  

There is a sort of porch in front of the resort just to relax and enjoy the sea. Also what I like much about this place is that in the middle between the terrace and the restaurant there is such a small pond that connects to the sea, where a lot of fish milling about and we can see from the wooden chairs.

Water Villa

I'm so in love with the turquoise water

Bagian terbaik dari lokasi ini adalah Water Villa, beberapa unit penginapan yang dibangun di atas air laut warna turqoise. Meski dibangun di atas laut, supply air tawar dialirkan melalui pipa tersendiri. Namun sayang, pembuangan dari saluran bathtub dan shower masih langsung ke bawah, ke laut, membuat saya enggan menggunakan banyak shampoo dan sabun.

The best part of this place is the Water Villa, units that is built on top of the turquoise sea water. Even though its built on top of the sea, fresh water supply piped separately. But unfortunately, the disposal of the bathtub and shower drain is still straight down into the sea, makes me feels bad using shampoo and soap. 

View from the room, water villa

Bathroom with a view, water villa number 3

Di luar saluran air yang masih belum dibuat terpisah, Maratua Paradise adalah lokasi yang sempurna untuk menikmati laut di Kepulauan Derawan. Teras unit water villa dimana saya menginap langsung menghadap laut biru, meski berada di atas laut pun unit kamar dibuat sangat nyaman.

Despite that the drains are still not made separately, Maratua Paradise is a perfect location to enjoy the sea in Derawan Islands. The terrace of the water villa where I stay have a direct view to the blue sea. Also even it built on top of the sea water, the rooms are pretty comfortable.

Morning, during the low tide you can see the white sands

Sunset in Maratua Paradise, not the best sunset but it is still beautiful :)

Untuk menikmati water villa anda mesti menyiapkan sekitar 660 ribu rupiah per malam per orang, disini perhitungan tarif per orang karena harga sekian sudah termasuk makan tiga kali sehari karena tentunya tidak ada warung makan yang ada di jarak dekat dari resort ini. Jika mau sedikit menghemat ada bagian beach villa yang terletak di pesisir pantai, dengan harga 550 ribu rupiah per malam per orang. But in my opinion, sensasi menginap di water villa jauh berbeda dengan di beach villa, so you decide.

To enjoy the water villa you have to prepare about 66 dollars per person per night, its a per person rate calculation because so the price includes three meals a day. Well, you can't get any nearest food stalls that exist by walking in this place. If you want to save a little money, there are beach villas located on the coast, at a price of 55 dollars per night per person. But in my opinion, the sensation of staying in water villa is so much different with the beach villa, so you decide.

I'm in heaven

Ini adalah lokasi dimana anda ingin waktu berhenti, dan setiap matahari bersinar terik adalah waktu terbaik dimana air laut berubah warna menjadi sempurna, and you can't stop yourself from the urge of swimming like Dory. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming swimming.. *singing*

This is the location where you just want the time stood still, and every time the sun is shining, there comes the best part when the sea water became so perfect and you can not stop yourself from the urge of swimming like Dory. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming swimming .. * Singing *

@marischkaprue - planning her next ticket to paradise

All photos except (5) is taken using Samsung NX300

NOTES:

• Harga menginap di Maratua Paradise Resort: Rp. 660.000,- per orang per malam untuk Water Villa, dan Rp. 550.000,- per orang per malam untuk Beach Villa. Harga sudah termasuk makan tiga kali sehari. Cek harga terlebih dahulu karena dapat berubah di saat high season. Contact: +628215757169229 atau +6285246585368 (Ilsam)
• Price list for staying at Maratua Paradise Resort: Rp. 660.000, - (Indonesian rupiahs) per person per night for Water Villa, and Rp. 550.000, - per person per night for Beach Villa. Prices includes three meals a day. Check the price first because it can be changed during the high season. Contact: +628215757169229 or +6285246585368 (Ilsam)
• Untuk booking juga bisa melalui email ke  jworld@po.jaring.my ,website Maratua Paradise di http://www.maratua.com/index.php/rates-a-reservations
  
• For bookings, you can also contact through jworld@po.jaring.my or website here http://www.maratua.com/index.php/rates-a-reservations
• Pulau Maratua terletak di Kepulauan Derawan, Kalimantan Timur. Ada dua cara akses ke Derawan, pertama ke Balikpapan terlebih dahulu, kemudian mengambil penerbangan lanjutan ke Berau atau ke Tarakan. Kemudian dari Tarakan atau Berau ke Kepulauan Derawan dengan menggunakan speed boat. Tarif speed boat dari pelabuhan Tanjung Batu, Berau ke Pulau Maratua Rp. 1.500.000,- (one way, kapasitas 10 hingga 13 orang). Lebih baik sewa untuk PP (diantar dan dijemput kembali, dengan harga Rp. 3.000.000,-)
• Maratua located in Derawan Islands, East Kalimantan. There are two ways to access Derawan, first to Balikpapan first, then take connecting flight to Berau or Tarakan. Then from Tarakan or Berau to Derawan Islands by speed boat. Speed boat price from the port of Tanjung Batu, Berau to Maratua is Rp. 1.500.000, - (one way, the capacity of 10 to 13 people). Better rent two way trip (delivered and picked up again, with the price of Rp. 3.000.000, -)
• Dari bandara Tanjung Redep Berau ke Pelabuhan Tanjung Batu, jika beramai ramai bisa sewa mobil, PP (diantar dan dijemput saat kembali) tarif sekitar Rp. 800.000,- untuk mobil kapasitas 6 orang.
•  For transportation from Tanjung Redep Airport in Berau to Tanjung Batu Port, you can rent a car. Rate about Rp. 800.000,- for two way trip (car capacity about 6 person)
•  Waktu terbaik mengunjungi Maratua antara lain di bulan Maret hingga Mei, setelah bulan Agustus, awal bulan Oktober. Sementara di Akhir Oktober biasanya sudah memasuki masa sering turun hujan.
• The best time to visit Maratua: March to May, after August, the beginning of October. While in Late October is usually already in the period of frequent rain.
• Alternatif penginapan murah di Pulau Maratua: Ananda Hotel dengan rate: Rp. 200.000,- per kamar (tanpa AC) dan Rp. 300.000,- per kamar AC. Ananda Hotel terletak sekitar 15 menit perjalanan naik motor dari Maratua Paradise Resort. Tapi view di Ananda sangat berbeda dengan di Maratua Paradise. Saya sarankan setidaknya menginap satu hari saja di Maratua Paradise Resort.
• For alternative, there is a cheaper hotel in Maratua: Ananda Hotel with rate: Rp. 200.000, - per room per day (no air conditioning) and Rp. 300.000, - per room AC. Ananda Hotel is located approximately 15 minutes away by motor bike from Maratua Paradise Resort. But the view is very different with Maratua Paradise Resort. I recommend you stay at Maratua Paradise at least one day.

RELATED STORIES:

• Maratua Paradise Resort
• Gua Sembat, Cave With Human Face
• How To Survive Barracuda Point
• Melihat Penyu Bertelur di Pulau Sangalaki
• Payung Payung Village 
• Feeling Spongebob at Kakaban Stingless Jellyfish Lake
• Diving in Maratua Reef 

Read Full Story...